"So, how are you liking the event so far?" asked Roll.
"It's a blast! It's the best event ever!" Sunny said with a wide grin.
The two girls were currently in line for the concession stands as they'd gotten hungry from watching all the past duels in the last hour or so, so they volunteered to get some snacks.
"Save some of that energy for my father's duel."
Backstage, Juniper and the crew were preparing for the next duel as the graphic came on the screen for all to see. Shining Armor was in his locker room, strapping on his dueling gloves and putting on his jacket. A knock on his door was heard as he approached it and opened it before being tackled by something.
"Hi, Daddy!"
"Hi, princess," said the man as he hugged his daughter.
"She wanted to see you before your duel," said Cadance as she appeared and kissed her husband before he let both of them in.
"Did you say hi to your cousins?"
"Yes, Daddy."
At that moment, a sound was heard as it called Shining Armor's name to indicate his duel was next.
"Time to go to work," Shining Armor said, putting his fist out. "Give Daddy some love."
Flurry fistbumped her father before he hugged her again. Cadance gave one last kiss to her husband as she left with their daughter to watch from gorilla. Shining Armor then turned as he grabbed his duel disk and strapped it on before exiting his locker room.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you aren't bored just yet because we have another star-filled match after that stellar Duel Monsters Heritage Cup match. The young upstart duelist, Caelus, looks to make his name at the expense of the #2 duelist in the world, Shining Armor. And for Shining, he looks to teach this young gun a lesson in respect and humility." said the lead announcer as the graphic showed the two.
"Let's show you how it came to be," said the other announcer as that was the cue to roll the video package to recap the events for everyone.
(Video Package)
"My name is Caelus, and I'm the next big thing!"
A video was played as it showcased the young duelist as he hyped himself and was shown showboating.
"In my first year entering the pro scene, I became a two-time International Champion. Won the Breakout Star Tournament and entered the Duel Monsters Invitational Tournament. Safe to say, ha, I'm all that!"
A video montage showed off Caelus' highlights of his career so far. For a first year, he was a hidden gem that was starting to shine. The young duelist had taken on some of the biggest names currently in the pro scene; one of the highlights showed him taking on Rainbow before she became IC Champ, as he managed to outclass and outshine Rainbow in such a fashion that got people talking.
"Caelus has a bright young future here in Duel Monsters."
"He has poise, charisma, charm, and talent. And a cocky attitude. How can you not be a fan of him?"
"Caelus is… the next big thing!"
Many people made similar statements about how talented the rookie was.
"But as good as that is, I want something more. I want… to be World Champion."
The footage was shown as Caelus was watching from behind the curtain as he peeked in on one of Isaac's performances as he eyed the World Champ.
"Because when you're World Champion, you make the rules. And can't nobody tell you otherwise."
It was clear from the highlights that Caelus wanted to take Isaac's spot as the top duelist. However, things seem to say otherwise. The video continued as it showed him walking down a hall and stopped as a group of rookie duelists gathered around Shining Armor, getting advice from the duelist.
"Hey, yo!"
Shining Armor turned when he heard that as he came face to face with the brash rookie.
"I'm here to introduce myself. Sure, you've heard of me. I'm the next big thing. So listen, if you need the Caelus rub from me, old-timer. Don't hesitate."
"Oh, old-timer, huh?" chuckled Shining Armor as he crossed his arms and could tell the rookie was cocky based on how he acted.
"Yeah, I got you. Besides, my dueling style is one-of-one, you know," smirked Caelus. "Don't you agree?"
"The way you duel… is boring," said Shining Armor as that got Caelus perturbed.
Shining Armor walked away as the rookie began to feel disrespected by what he had just heard. The video transitioned to show Shining Armor doing an interview.
"Shining Armor, everybody wants to know what you will do at Super Showdown this year?" asked the reporter.
"Well-"
A scream was heard before he could get anything out as Caelus jumped Shining Armor from behind and knocked him to the floor. The young rookie was still irate by the comments made by the pro duelist as he wanted to show the experienced man that he was all he said. The young, brash duelist began to toss around and beat down Shining Armor for a few moments before officials all shouted and came into the frame to break up the brawl and get Caelus away from Shining Armor, who clutched his arm. The rookie smiled as he was satisfied with his message to Shining about disrespecting him.
As Shining Armor was being led to get medical help, he stopped before turning around. Officials tried to plead and reason with the pro-duelist to seek medical help, but he ignored it before finding a reporter and grabbing their mic while turning to the camera that was rolling. The pro duelist began to speak as he wanted to say what he would say before he was interrupted.
"I was about to say this year I was gonna watch from the sidelines of Super Showdown… but not anymore… Caelus, you want a match… you got it. Super Showdown."
The challenge was laid as Shining Armor was looking to not only teach the rookie a lesson in respect but to give him what he wanted. A moment. A spotlight on him. And there was no bigger spotlight than competing at Super Showdown.
"Shining Armor… heh, what a guy, right? You thought it was a good idea to disrespect me. I'm the next big thing. You… you're just an old-timer. You're a relic. Maybe you were the best in the past, but we're long past that. And your biggest mistake… was challenging me. See, on the streets, you start as a soldier, earn your stripes, and make a name for yourself. But as you climb your way up the food chain, there comes a time when you know what's best for the family. Which way to steer the ship. So I need to make a decision. Shining Armor, I have to remove you from your chair. I'm telling you, whether you like it or not, it will be your last match at Super Showdown. And when I take my rightful place at the top of this locker room. I'll control it all. I'll control that field. And I will control anything and everything when I become the don."
The video continued as it shifted to Shining Armor sitting in a chair, talking to a camera.
"For a long time now, this has been my sanctuary. Not as much mine as it is ours. A place for us to connect. So… let us connect. When I first arrived here, I had much to prove to my peers, fans, and critics. But maybe, most importantly, to myself. Now, it's been a long journey filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. You've been a part of it all. Whether you realize it or not, something as public as winning a title or overcoming injury. Something as private as my wife giving birth to the miracle that is my daughter, every obstacle, every triumph, every tragedy. You were my constant. And together, man, together… we overcame. Together, we created magic. And now, I hear all the whispers… that Super Showdown just might be the end of an era. Well, we will create that magic in Las Vegas one final time."
Shining Armor got up and folded the chair he sat on before propping it up against the garage door. On the chair was some writing. The writing had the date of when Shining Armor first appeared on the duel scene and went through to the date of Super Showdown. An ominous message that had a double meaning as even Shining Armor acknowledged that losing this duel against the rookie might mean he would have to start thinking about what comes next.
(End of Video Package)
The stage was shown as flames appeared in the center. Everyone was in awe as they saw the spectacle. Soon, slowly rising from underneath, was the young upstart duelist, Caelus, as he had a cocky smile. He stood in the middle of the ring of fire as behind him on the titration was a digital render of a ship floating in the water with the sails having Shining Armor's symbol. It, too, was then set on fire as the rookie was sending a clear message on what he thought of the #2 duelist with the ship starting to sink into the ocean below.
Won't take what's mine
You'll burn and I'll rise
There's no turning back
Burn the ships to ash
One look and you'll be over quick
Mercy is only for the sick
Out run me now and then you'll drown
Untie the knots, take your last bow
"Ladies and gentlemen, making his way down the aisle, Caelus!" said the announcer on the mic.
"If you were to look up the word brash in the dictionary. Caelus' picture would be right next to it. The rookie believes he should be at the top of the food chain. That he feels like he's the next locker room leader. He hasn't shown he cares about others. He hasn't shown he treats others with respect. He only cares about himself!" shouted the lead announcer.
"Would you quit your blabbering, bud? Come on, look at the kid. He's outspoken, he's talented…"
"And he's trying to take out Shining Armor to take his place as the so-called don of the locker room. You don't see Shining Armor flexing his power around the other duelists in the locker room. He treats everybody with respect. He gives advice when needed."
"Expect Caelus doesn't need it from Shining Armor. The kid has all the tools to be successful. Shining Armor, I'm giving him credit; he's done some incredible things for this business. But there comes a time when the young ones will tell you when it's time to move on. And right now, Caelus is looking to do that. Take Shining Armor's place at the dinner table and usurp the throne from him."
Breaking chains, to the top I'm heading up
Set the room, make it cold, it's the last run
I'm not done 'til your gone, burn the ships, run
All your days, they're over now
Set the room, make it cloud, it's the last run
Burn the ships
As the two commentators argued back and forth, the rookie duelist made his way down the ramp and stood in the middle of the field. His cocky attitude was full on display as he began to bounce in place as he awaited for his foe to show up. For Caelus, he was looking to knock off Shining Armor, secure his place in the locker room, and become what he was always destined for. However, that could only be done if he took out the current don of the locker room, and once he did that, it would be all his for the taking.
"Where you at, old man?! Where you at, old timer!" shouted the brash rookie as he wanted to get this duel over with and take his rightful place over Shining Armor's body.
It was the calm before the storm, as the crowd was making some low rumblings, knowing that once Shining Armor made his presence known, it would make noise. Caelus could hear the crowd, so he ignored them and paid attention to the stage, knowing full well what he was getting himself into.
The titration was shown on the stage as a video projector was displayed with the entire arena going black. It turned on as a film roll began to play, projecting some highlights.
"The Shining Armor era has begun!" said a recorded voice as it showed Shining Armor becoming World Champion for the first time.
"My moment…"
"You talk about big-time duelists? You're looking at one."
"I am the single greatest duelist in this business… of allll… time!"
"Shining Armor with a dominant win."
"... Is…"
"For every single thing that has happened to me. It's been worth it!"
"Shining Armor does it again!"
"There are levels to this, and Shining Armor is at the top!"
"... NOW!" said the man as he appeared from the shadows; the film stopped rolling as he tore the projector screen apart.
The crowd heard a cheer as the arena lit up a bit to show the stage. There were several people dressed up as soldiers as they stood at attention. A signal was given as they began to stomp their feet and spears as they did the choreographed act. As the soldiers did their war performance, a tall throne chair was being pulled by some soldier as on it sat someone wearing a crystal crown. The person sitting high on the throne was hunched over and had their head down to avoid making eye contact with the audience. As the ground soldiers reached the end and all shouted something, they faced the other side as they stood at attention. A single spotlight shined down on the figure on the throne as he took some moments to soak it all in before lifting his face he wore a skeleton face mask/helmet before the light vanished and went back to dark. A second later, the arena lights came on as the music played, and Shining Armor stood on the throne.
I'm war ready, I'm battled tested
This is the story of a fighter who's got nothing to lose
Battle tested next opponent he choose
Will be left broken and bruised
Just me and my crew
We battle tested
Coming for everything and you know we'll wreck it
The crowd went crazy seeing the pro duelist smile before slowly walking down the stairs connecting his throne to the stage. He wore a long sleeveless jacket, the ends of which trailed behind him as he made his way down the aisle.
"And his opponent… coming down the aisle… the one, the only… Shining Armor!" said the announcer as they put their heart into that introduction.
"This man is considered a locker room leader, the don among the boys and girls in the back. Shining Armor has stepped to the plate as a leader and an advice giver. He's willing to offer advice to anybody who wants it and show respect to anybody who deserves it. Caelus doesn't seem to see any of that!"
"Oh, my god, are you still going to sing the praises of Shining Armor?!" the other commentator said to his partner.
"What about you? You're singing the praises of that disrespectful punk right there!" the main commentator responded to his buddy.
"Please, this is nothing but the nature at its core. It's like being in the jungle, survival of the fittess. The old lion, the leader of the pride, and then along will come a young lion who wants to take his place. Sometimes, that young lion is able to take his place, and sometimes, that old lion is able to fend off the challenge of the young lion and remain the leader of the pride. But what's gonna happen here tonight?"
"That's a great question, and we're about to find out right now!" said the main commentator as Shining Armor stepped onto the field.
He looked at Caelus as the cocky rookie smirked. Clearly, he wanted Shining's spot and was looking to take it from him. Shining Armor took off his jacket and tossed it to the side, still eyeing down his opponent.
"Don't worry, old-timer. This'll be quick and painless," mocked Caelus as he went to his side of the field.
Shining Armor merely laughed behind the rookie's back as he turned and headed to his position. The two turned and stared at their opponent as they slotted in their decks.
"Good luck, honey," said Cadance as she and Flurry were with Twilight and Rarity, as they sat down in gorilla to watch the monitor.
"Dad's gonna wipe the floor with that rookie!" said Flurry as she backed her father and looked forward to him teaching a lesson with the duelist who disrespected him.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said the duelist's duel disks.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 8000-
Caelus' Life Points: 8000-
"Last chance, kid? Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Shining Armor asked.
"Are you already scared, old-timer? Don't worry about me. Just worry about yourself," said Caelus.
"Alright," smirked Shining Armor as their portraits appeared on the screen. His was highlighted to indicate he would get the first turn.
Turn 1: Shining Armor (Hand 5)
"Now, to kick things off with a bang!" Shining Armor said as he drew his card. "I summon X-Head Cannon(1800/1500) in attack mode!" A yellow and blue machine appeared, and its shoulders had two cannons coming out. "Next, I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Caelus (Hand 5)
"You sound so confident. But I'm afraid your little mechanical toys are insignificant seedlings about to be uprooted!" said Caelus as he drew and smirked at his current hand. "I play this… Ride of the Valkyries. This lets me summon every 'Valkyrie' in my hand!"
"What?!" said Sunny and the others while Shining Armor put on a straight face.
"I summon Valkyrie Zweite(1600/1600), Valkyrie Dritte(1000/1600), and Valkyrie Erste(1600/1800)!" said the rookie duelist as all three female warriors appeared on their steeds. A sprinkle of particles fell onto Shining Armor's monster, which was then destroyed.
"Thanks to my Valkyrie Zweite's special ability, your monster goes straight to the graveyard! But that's not all. Next, my Valkyrie Erste's effect removes your X-Head Cannon from the game for good, and its attack points become equal to those of your removed monster! And finally, my Valkyrie Dritte's ability, for each monster removed from play, she gains 100 extra attack points!"
"Wow! He just summoned three monsters at once!" said Izzy.
"It looks like this will be over before it even begins. It's time to take your throne from you, Don!" smirked Caelus. "Valkyrie Zweite, attack Shining Armor directly with Galloping Gash!" The female rider rode forward as her steed took to the skies, and she closed in on Shining Armor.
"I activate my facedown! Negate Attack!" said Shining Armor as he touched his duel screen to trigger his card. "Looks like you're out of luck, and your Valkyrie is out of steam."
"A perfectly executed move. Thanks to my brother's card, Caelus' turn is over, and his three Valkyries return to his deck," commented Twilight as her brother proved his skills were on par with her husband's.
"What's the matter, rookie? Did my move scare off your little ponies?" smirked Shining Armor mockingly.
"Not a chance. And thanks to this card, they get a second chance. Mischief of Time Goddess!"
"What?" exclaimed Shining Armor.
"That's right. My Mischief of Time Goddess spell card allows me to skip your turn and go right into my next turn's battle phase. So my monsters can attack right now!" stated Caelus.
Turn 3: Caelus (Hand 1)
"Now… Valkyrie Zweite, attack him directly!"
"Dad, look out!" Flurry shouted to the screen as the monster closed on her defenseless father.
"Not so fast! I reveal my Magical Trick Mirror!" said Shining Armor as his other facedown flipped up. "Here's the deal. It activates a spell card from your graveyard. And I choose Mischief of Time Goddess!"
"Not that!" exclaimed Caelus.
"Let's see how you like it!" barked Shining Armor as his card showed the reflection of the chosen card. "Now your turn is skipped!"
The crowd roared as they were amazed by Shining Armor's pro-leveled skills. It was clear why he was ranked as the second-best duelist in the world, as his legendary battles with his brother-in-law and greatest rival sharpened his skills to the max. Caelus gritted his teeth and growled, not liking that this old-timer was mocking him on the grandest stage of them all.
"Amazing… he just brought himself another chance," said Hitch.
"If you thought you could beat me in one turn, then you don't know who you're up against, rookie. You said I needed your rub to stay relevant, I think it's the other way. I don't need you to have a Super Showdown moment, you need me!"
"Shut up!" growled Caelus.
Turn 4: Shining Armor (Hand 3)
"My turn! I summon Z-Metal Tank(1500/1300) in defense mode!" A yellow tank appeared on Shining Armor's field. "Since I summoned a monster, I special summon my Clone Dragon(?/?) as well! It becomes an exact replicate of the monster I just played, which gives me two tanks! That ends my turn."
Turn 5: Caelus (Hand 1)
"What a duel! The action hasn't stopped since Shining Armor made his first move," said Sunny as the two duelists drew her in.
"Do you plan to stall or actually fight back?" Caelus taunted. "Now then… I draw! I activate Valkyrie's Embrace! Then I switch my Valkyrie Dritte into defense mode." As Caelus' monster switched modes, Shining Armor's Z-Metal Tank vanished. "By activating my spell card and switching one of my Valkyries into defense mode, I can remove one of your monsters from play. And since another one of your monsters left the game, my Valkyrie Dritte's attack points go up by another 100 attack points. Now… Valkyrie Erste, attack his Clone Dragon!"
The Valkyrie rode forward as it charged at Shining Armor's monster. She brought her weapon down and took out Shining Armor's sole creature.
"And now, Valkyrie Zweite, attack him directly!" commanded Caelus as his remaining monster rode forward and brought her sword down on Shining Armor, who blocked it with his duel disk.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 6400-
As the Valkyrie backed off and returned to her master's field, Shining Armor straightened out his clothes and dusted off his shoulder.
"Is that all?" said Shining Armor as he didn't flinch from Caelus' attack.
"Trust me, you're not fooling anyone with that tough guy act, old-timer," smirked the rookie. "I can see it in your eyes. You're scared because your spot is about to be taken by a much brighter star than you."
Turn 6: Shining Armor (Hand 2)
"Really? You think I'm scared of you and your galloping girl scouts, please?" dismissed Shining as he drew. "Let's see how your monsters do against my Pitch-Dark Dragon(900/600) in defense mode! Then I place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 7: Caelus (Hand 1)
"My move! First, I'll switch Valkyrie Dritte back into attack mode. Next, Valkyrie Zweite will take out your monster!" commanded the rookie as his monster trotted forward and took out Shining's dragon with one slash.
"I reveal my facedown. Flat Level 4!" said Shining as he touched his duel screen. "Here's how it works: Now that my dragon is gone, we can choose a four-star monster from our deck and summon it directly to the field. So I choose my Y-Head Dragon(1500/1600) in defense mode!"
"In that case, I'll bring out another Valkyrie Dritte!" said Caelus as he made his choice and summoned another copy of his named monster. "Don't forget. She gets an immediate power boost because of your two removed monsters."
Turn 8: Shining Armor (Hand 1)
"My move. And I play Pot of Greed. Now I can draw two more cards. Next, I'll activate my Dimension Fusion! Now, once I give up 2000 Life Points, I can return my X-Head Cannon and Z-Metal Tank!" said Shining as his two banished monsters reappeared.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 4400-
"No! Not those!" said Caelus. As he could tell, having all three of those monsters gathered on Shining Armor's field spelled trouble for the young rookie.
"Next, I play this: Soul Absorption! This gives me 500 Life Points each time a card is removed from play. So I'll remove my X-Head Cannon, Y-Head Dragon, and Z-Metal Tank to play this card—XYZ Dragon Cannon(2800/2600)!" All three of Shining's monsters began to merge and combine into one single monster as power surged through.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 5900-
"Not only was he able to summon a really powerful monster, but he was also able to gain back 1500 Life Points!" said Zipp as the kids were impressed by Shining Armor's skills.
"No wonder he's your father's greatest rival. His skills match your father's and more," said Sunny.
"That's not the whole reason," muttered Mario as he kept watching his uncle duel.
"Alright, rookie. It's time to eliminate your monster and the horse she rode in on! Dragon Cannon attack!" commanded Shining Armor as his monster blasted away at one of Caelus's Valkyrie Dritte. She let out a scream of defeat before vanishing.
Caelus' Life Points: 6500-
"Way to go, Dad!" said Flurry, as she was glad her father was back in control of the duel.
"Nice move, big brother. You caught him off guard," muttered Twilight as she smiled, seeing her older sibling proving why he was considered the don among the other duelists in the locker room.
Turn 9: Caelus (Hand 2)
"It's my turn. I play my Nibelung's Treasure, which lets me play Nibelung's Ring from my deck. I'll equip my ring onto your monster. In addition, I get to draw five new cards. And… my ring stops your monster from attacking!" stated Caelus as he pointed at Shining Armor. "And if you thought it was over, think again. Next, you have to draw two cards; if either is a monster card, you have to remove it from play. But I'm not done. Next, I sacrifice my Valkyrie Dritte to bring about the card that will seal your fate!"
Everybody looked up as if riding down to the field; a chariot pulled by horses appeared.
"What is that?!" said Shining.
"It's my Fortune Chariot, and it's come to cart you away into oblivion!" stated Caelus as his Valkyrie Zweite leaped off her horse and into the chariot herself. "Now that my Valkyrie Zweite has taken the driver's seat, the real fun can begin. By reducing one of my monster's attacks for one turn, my Fortune Chariot allows her some special powers."
"Like what?" asked Shining.
"For example, my Valkyrie can bypass your monster and attack you directly!"
"Oh, no!" said Flurry.
"Now… Valkyrie Zweite, attack Shining Armor directly!" commanded Caelus. The chariot began to rush forward as the Valkyrie brought her sword down on the duelist, who grunted and stood his ground after getting hit.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 5100-
"You know, they say don't kick a man when he's down, but for you… I'll make an exception. From my hand, I play the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of your Soul Absorption spell!" stated Caelus as a giant wind blew over the field and removed Shining's card.
"Next, I'll play this facedown and end my turn."
"It's only a matter of time, Shining! Without your Soul Absorption spell, you can't replenish your Life Points. And as long as my Fortune Chariot is out, I can chip away at your Life Points until you have nothing! Embarrassing you in front of millions is more fun than I imagined."
Turn 10: Shining Armor (Hand 1)
"It's my move now!"
"And speaking of your turn, I now activate the power of my Nibelung's ring! This forces you to draw two cards, and if there are any monsters, they're immediately destroyed!"
"And you think that's supposed to scare me?" taunted Shining Armor defiantly. "Think again, rookie. Now… let's get this over with!" Shining Armor drew his top two cards, looked at them, and smiled since none were monsters. "It seems you're out of luck, kid! No monsters here, but I will set this card facedown."
Turn 11: Caelus (Hand 4)
"My turn, and you know what comes next, right? Valkyrie Zweite, use your Fortune Chariot and attack Shining Armor directly again!"
"Not this time! I activate my trap card! Attack Guidance Armor!" said Shining Armor as he touched his duel screen, and his armor chest piece appeared on Caelus' Valkyrie. "Now your attack gets redirected to your other monster!"
"Yeah, well, I got something for that. I activate my own trap. Wotan's Judgment! So my monster is safe!" said Caelus as his chariot halted just moments from his other monster. "Now, by switching one spell card in my hand with the top card of my deck, I can instantly end the battle phase of my turn."
"Nice move," said Izzy as she gave props to the young upstart duelist for thinking on his feet.
"Now, let's see what my deck gave me," said Caelus as he took his top card and looked at it. "Perfect. Looks like you better start enjoying retirement, old man. Because now… I play the three cards that will seal your fate. Go… Goddess Skuld's Oracle, Goddess Urd's Verdict, and Goddess Verdande's Guidance!" Three maiden goddesses with staffs appeared, and each had different colored hair.
"What do you think those three cards do?" asked Hitch.
"I have no idea," answered Roll as the group just sat and watched.
"Now… I activate my Goddess Skuld's ability! Now, I look at the top three cards of your deck and arrange them in any way I choose. So… show me what he has!" boasted Caelus with a cocky smile. However, when the three cards projected for only him to see, his expression changed on a dime. From cocky to stunned as the three cards he saw were all powerful ones and were the same ones. The young rookie was now looking at all three of Shining Armor's most powerful monsters in his deck.
Impossible! 3 Blue-Eyes White Dragons, all back to back!?
"By the expression on your face, I'm guessing my destiny looks pretty good," smirked Shining Armor as Caelus's gasped face told him all. He could tell his next three cards were powerful despite not knowing what they were, but… he had a feeling.
"Please. I'm gonna send you packing, old-timer. Time for the new generation to take over. And it starts with me taking your spot as the don around here. Now, I activate my Goddess Verdande's ability! Now I can guess the top card of your deck. I'm guessing it's a 'monster'!"
Shining Armor nonchalantly drew his top card as he looked and saw one of his three Blue-Eyes White Dragons.
"Gee, how'd you guess?" the duelist responded, as he wasn't amused.
"Just place it on the field in defense mode!" barked Caelus, not liking that Shining Armor was making fun of him.
"Sure. Whatever," responded Shining Armor as he placed his Blue Eyes facedown sideways on his card tray. It appeared alongside his current monster.
"Now, I'll remove that card with my Goddess Urd's ability! If I guess correctly, what type of card that is, it's banished from the game. And I predict the card you just played is your signature monster, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" shouted Caelus.
The card flipped up, and Shining Armor's mighty beast appeared for all to see. Everyone was shocked to see the pro duelist's signature monster, as the goddess had her eyes glow. In the blink of an eye, the mighty beast vanished for good, making everyone gasp even more at how easily one of Shining Armor's most powerful cards was gone.
"It's… gone!" said Flurry as she was stunned to see someone remove her father's most prized card like it was nothing.
"This is bad," said Twilight as she could see her brother was in a bind.
"Why the long face, Shining Armor? Oh, that's right! I just disposed of your favorite monster like a piece of trash!" bragged Caelus as Shining Armor kept a straight face and crossed arms.
Turn 12: Shining Armor (Hand 2)
"I'll take it from here!" said Shining.
"Hold on! Your dragon is wearing my ring, so the card you just drew goes straight to the graveyard!" smirked Caelus as he knew the top two cards Shining Armor would draw were his other two dragons.
Shining Armor drew and saw his two other beasts as he discarded them.
"And since you can't do anything else, I assume you'll end your turn," smirked the rookie.
"Well, you thought wrong. I play Monster Reborn!"
"You what?!" said Caelus in shock.
"Now… show yourself… Blue-Eyes White Dragon(3000/2500)!"
Shining Armor's most powerful beast appeared. It stood tall and spread its wings, letting out a huge roar.
"Nobody gets between me and my Blue Eyes! Anyone foolish enough to try pays the price! Remember that lesson, rookie!" stated Shining Armor. "Now… Blue Eyes, show him your power. Attack Valkyrie Zweite!" The dragon opened its mouth and fired a condensed white lightning beam toward its target. However, the Valkyrie jumped out of the chariot at the last second before destroying it.
"What happened?!" asked Shining Armor as Caelus Valkyrie survived the attack when it should've been destroyed.
"I gave up my chariot! So my Valkyrie Zweite remains unharmed!" stated Caelus.
"But your Life Points!" said Shining Armor.
Caelus' Life Points: 5100-
Turn 13: Caelus (Hand 2)
"It's my turn now. And I activate the abilities of my goddesses!" said Caelus as all three maidens had their eyes glow white. "Show me his top three cards!"
The cards appeared individually before the rookie duelist as he saw Shining Armor's next three draws.
"Place the third card on top of your deck!" instructed Caelus.
Shining Armor, unamusingly, grabbed the three cards, switched the last one, and placed it at the top without looking.
"Now all I have to do is call its name and remove it from play. Luster Dragon #2!" said Caelus as the card flipped over. Sure enough, it was what he called before it vanished entirely. "Next, I'll activate this card. Gryphon's Feather Duster! First, it destroys every spell and trap card on my field, and as an added bonus, I gain 500 Life Points for each one!"
Caelus' Life Points: 6600-
"And finally… I'll sacrifice my Valkyrie Zweite and Valkyrie Erste! So that I can summon my Valkyrie Brunhilda(1800/2000) in defense mode!"
Turn 14: Shining Armor (Hand 1)
"My turn!" said Shining as he drew two cards.
"I activate my Nibelung's Ring! So that monster you're about to draw is no more," smirked Caelus.
"I don't need that card anyway… not when I have my Blue Eyes! Attack!" instructed Shining Armor to his dragon as it fired another beam of white lightning. Caelus' monster raised her shield as if to protect herself. The attack made contact, but when it died down, Valkyrie Brunhilda was still standing as her shield she put out now had a piece of it broken off.
"No way!" said Pipp as the teens were stunned to see the monster still standing.
"As you can see, my Brunhild escaped without a scratch, thanks to her special ability! All I had to do was lower her defense points by 1000 to protect her from being destroyed in battle!"
"Hmm. I place this facedown and end my turn!"
Turn 15: Caelus (Hand 1)
"Looks like another turn has been wasted," smirked the rookie.
"Eventually, your girlfriend will run out of points; when she does, my dragon will be waiting!" Shining Armor said.
"But by then, I'll have won and sent you packing! And speaking of win… I draw! I now switch Brunhilda into attack mode. For every dragon on the field, her attack points increase by 300. Next, I'll play this: Enchanted Sword Nothung!" The sword Brunhilda held changed as the new weapon was a much longer sword before she lifted it to the sky and glowed with power.
"So, what do you think of my new toy? On second thought, don't answer that! Wait till you see what it can do!" said Caelus as his monster pointed her sword at the dragon. The sword began to glow blue and course with electricity before it sparked the dragon and vanished.
"How?! His dragon is gone!" said Flurry in shock.
"Not only does my enchanted sword remove all dragons from the game, but it gives her a boost of 400 attack points!" stated the rookie as he eyed his rival. "So tell me, Shining? How does it feel to be a washed-up has-been?"
"Why don't you tell me?" barked Shining.
"Hmm. Enough small talk… I play this! Pegasus Wings!" The horse the Valkyrie was on then sprouted white wings and became a pegasus steed. "Now, by cutting her attack points in half, I can go straight for your Life Points!"
"Go ahead! Because my facedown will protect me!" stated Shining Armor.
"I already know your facedown card; quite frankly, it doesn't change anything. Now… Brunhilda, strike him down!"
"I'll weaken her with this! Go, Shrink card!" Shining Armor said as he activated his facedown. This cuts your monster's attack points in half!"
"Either way, she's gonna cut you!"
The Valkyrie flew past Shining's monster and hovered above the duelist. She brought her sword down on him as he took the hit before falling to the ground.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 4550-
Turn 16: Shining Armor (Hand 1)
"Let me ask you, something rookie? Why did you choose to target me as your opponent for Super Showdown?" asked Shining Armor.
"Please. Don't act like you don't remember what you said to me!" barked Caelus.
"Hmm."
Shining Armor took a moment to recall what Caelus meant. He then thought back to that one meeting he had with the young upstart, in which he approached him after offering some advice to other newer duelists.
Your dueling style… is boring.
"I see. Well, it's true, isn't it?" mocked Shining Armor, further inciting the duelist. "Listen, kid. I got to where I am through two things. Hard work and determination. Something you know nothing about, at least right now. But I promise you after I defeat you, you will. Now then… My move!"
"Remember, any monsters you draw, go straight to the graveyard!" reminded Caelus.
"Well, not if I activate this card. Graceful Charity! This allows me to draw three new cards and discard two."
"Nice. He avoided the ring's effect," said Twilight as she applauded her brother's move.
"And the two cards I'm getting rid of are these!" said Shining Armor as he showed off what he was sending away.
"What?! You're getting rid of your own Blue-Eyes?!" said Caelus, as he didn't expect that move from someone as skilled as Shining. "But why?"
"Watch and see! Now… I remove my Blue Eyes and Pitch Dark Dragon from my graveyard!" Shining said as his two monsters appeared in spirit form before converging into a pillar of light. "By doing that, I can summon this Chaos Emperor Dragon—Envoy of the End(3000/2500)!"
"Oh, Dad brought out the big guns now!" smiled Flurry as she knew what power her father's new dragon had.
"So, how powerful is this thing?" asked Zipp as she looked at Roll.
"Quite powerful. It's also a rare card," Roll said, which got her friends to widen their eyes and look back at the field to watch it in action.
"Did you forget that my Brunhilda gains 300 attack points for every dragon out on the field?" said Caelus as his monster was now at 2500 attack points.
"Well, then, let me introduce you to Chaos Emperor Dragon's special ability. By paying 1000 Life Points, it sends every card on the field and in our hands to the graveyard! And that's not all… because for every card sent to the graveyard, you take 300 points of damage!" barked Shining Armor.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 3550-
"No way!" said Sunny and the others as they saw what Roll meant by the card that her uncle had was a rare and powerful.
Shining Armor's dragon then nuked the entire field as it went up in blazes. Fire engulfed the field as all the monsters, including itself, were gone in the blink of an eye. Caelus covered up from the fire before it died down, and he gritted his teeth, scowling at Shining for destroying all he had.
Caelus' Life Points: 4200-
"Looks like you're left with nothing," said Shining Armor, crossing his arms.
Turn 17: Caelus (Hand 0)
"Not for long!" barked Caelus as he drew. "I play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Next, I'll activate my Magicial Alms! The first thing it does is give me 1000 Life Points!"
Caelus' Life Points: 5200-
"Next, we must predict how many spell cards we think we'll use each turn. We'll automatically receive 500 Life Points for each spell we use. But… if you use fewer than the number you guessed, you lose 1000 Life Points per card! Which means one mistake, Shining Armor, and you lose!" stated the rookie.
"With that, I'll play this… my Final Light spell card. And I believe that's the only card I'll activate this turn. Now, by paying 1000 Life Points, I can summon a monster from my graveyard. I choose my Valkyrie Brunhilda!"
Caelus' Life Points: 4200-
"My spell does allow you to bring back a monster yourself."
"Then I choose my Cave Dragon(2000/100)!" said Shining as his monster appeared.
"Thanks for that, because it gives my monster an extra 300 attack points!" stated Caelus. "And now, attack his Cave Dragon!" The Valkyrie rode forward as she let out a battle cry scream before slicing down Shining Armor's monster.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 3450-
"With that, I end my turn. So… how many spell cards do you think you'll use? You can't afford to guess wrong!" stated the rookie.
Turn 18: Shining Armor (Hand 0)
"I won't!" Shining declared as he drew and looked at the card he had drawn before addressing his opponent. "I predict I'll use five spell cards this turn!"
"Five cards?!" said Caelus, doing a double take after hearing Shining Armor's remark. "Don't you realize you're only holding one card?"
Caelus' Life Points: 6700-
Shining Armor's Life Points: 5950-
"That's right. But that's all about to change, rookie!"
"There's no way! You're bluffing!" proclaimed Caelus.
"Let's find out then, huh? First… I activate my Card of Demise! This lets me draw until I'm holding five cards! And in five turns… I discard my entire hand! But don't worry; I only need one turn to end this!" said Shining as he got to drawing, making the rookie sweat a bit. "Next, I play another spell card- Soul Release! Now, I can choose up to five cards in either player's graveyard and remove them from play. And I choose… my Chaos Emperor Dragon!"
"Why did he just remove that monster? It's powerful!" said Pipp, as she and the others were confused by what moves Shining Armor was making.
"Next, I activate my third spell card—Spell Reproduction! This lets me send two spell cards to my graveyard to bring back one!"
"No! You can't!"
"I just did!" Shining said to his foe, who was in disarray. So, at 2000 Life Points, I play Dimension Fusion! Now, we can bring back any of our monsters removed from the game! Arise… Luster Dragon #2, Chaos Emperor Dragon, and my three Blue-Eyes White Dragons!" Shining Armor spread all his cards on his duel disk; all his dragons appeared individually. "That gives me five dragons!"
Shining Armor's Life Points: 3950-
"How foolish! Don't you remember for every dragon on the field, my Valkyrie Brunhilda gains 300 extra attack points!" said Caelus as his monster had a strength total of 3300 due to all the dragons Shining Armor brought back.
"Luster Dragon #2, attack his monster now!" commanded Shining Armor.
"What?!" said Caelus, unable to believe that Shining Armor was sending his monster to fight when it would be destroyed because it was weaker.
The dragon obeyed his command as it flew forward and met the Valkyrie in battle. She had no trouble slaying it with one slash.
Shining Armor's Life Points: 3050-
"Why did he do that?" asked Izzy.
"Dad…" said Flurry, unable to believe her father was about to lose because he had made an error.
"Making rookie mistakes at your level, old man. I guess that's a clear sign you should hang it up and let the duelists like me, the new generation, step up!" mocked Caelus as Shining Armor merely smiled.
"Why don't you take a look at your monster?" asked Shining Armor as, with one less dragon, the Valkyrie's attack strength dropped to 3000.
"Now… Chaos Emperor Dragon, your turn! Attack his Valkyrie!" commanded Shining. His dragon opened its mouth and fired its attack; the Valkyrie raised her shield as it redirected the attack back at the creature before destroying it.
"Did you forget about my Brunhilda's ability? She becomes invincible by lowering her defense points by 1000!" stated Caelus.
"Now, Blue-Eyes White Dragon… it's your turn to attack her!" stated Shining Armor as he sent his third dragon in. "White Lightning!"
The dragon, now stronger than the Valkyrie as it was much weaker with one less dragon on the field, fired its attack. The Valkyrie raised her shield to protect herself as the attack died, but the shield broke as its defense points reached zero. Caelus then gasped as he realized what Shining Armor was doing, but he didn't like what the result would be.
Caelus' Life Points: 6400-
"Your Valkyrie's special powers are all used up, which means my second Blue-Eyes White Dragon can wipe her out now!" said Shining Armor as he signaled his monster to fire. The second dragon opened its mouth and fired its attack, destroying the monster in one blast.
Caelus' Life Points: 6100-
"No!" said the rookie, as he had nothing to protect him.
"Blue-Eyes #3, your turn!"
The third dragon of the trio fired as its attack made direct contact with the upstart duelist, who cried and was knocked off his feet and to the ground.
Caelus' Life Points: 3100-
"Now… I activate my final spell card! Flash Fusion! So I combine all three of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons!" said Shining Armor as he thrust his arm upwards.
"All… three… but… then…" said Caelus in fear as he knew what that meant.
"Arise… Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon(4500/3800)!"
A triple roar was heard as Shining Armor's dragons converged into one as it had three heads and roared.
"Now, my beast… take it away!"
The three-headed beast heard the command of their master as all three opened their mouths. They fired their attack immediately, converging into one solid attack toward Caelus. The rookie was overcome with fear as he was struck and didn't stand a chance before he was flung in the air and crashed to the floor.
Caelus' Life Points: 0-
Winner: Shining Armor
"Ladies and gentlemen, your winner of this duel… Shining Armor!"
"Looks like the don ain't done running things just yet!" said the main commentator.
The duelist stood there with a confident smile and crossed his arms to showcase his dominance. Caelus groaned as he lifted his upper body and clutched his side while looking at Shining Armor. The duelist stood there in his stoic matter with his triple-headed beast behind him. He shifted himself to exit the field as he began to walk around toward the ramp. Shining Armor kept looking at the rookie he had just beaten as he stopped at the edge of the ramp and looked back at the duelist. He held his side before nodding to the experienced duelist before turning to walk back up the ramp. Shining Armor soon smiled as it was clear his lesson had reached his opponent.
Author's Note: Shining Armor proved not only why he's considered the #2 duelist in the world, but was able to teach the brash, upstart rookie a lesson. It's clear that even though he's been here for quite a while, it doesn't seem like he's ready to hang up his Duel disk quite yet. There's still some gas in the tank for him. Now... after this, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the main event. Next chapter will be the finale to Super Showdown as the duel between Isaac and Applejack, who are now tag team champs, will happen. Hope you are still excited after all the duels, we've had so far. Because this one is personal.